Cigar box



Oct. 6, 1936. I c s KAUFFMAN 2,056,860

CIGAR BOX Filed March 25, 1936 Patented Oct. 6, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to boxes for the packaging and display of cigars and like articles, and more particularly to containers of this character adapted to accommodate cigars of other than the conventional shape.

Although the great majority of cigars are so made as to have substantially straight axes, there is a class of cigars known to the trade as crooks, etc., the axes of which are curved or crooked so as to produce cigars of distinctive and unusual shapes. Because of their irregular shape, these cigars cannot be satisfactorily packed or displayed in the ordinary rectangular cigar box. They do not lie evenly in the box, and,

I even though the cigars themselves may be packed in fitted relation to one another, there are always spaces left at the ends of the box which detract from the appearance of the package and permit movement of the cigars during shipment and handling withoonsequent danger of breakage or other injury thereto.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a box of novel construction for the orderly, attractive and safe packaging of cigars or like articles having curved or crooked axes.

Another object is to provide a cigar box of new and unusual construction which is particularly adapted for the packaging of cigars of irregular shape such as those known as crooks.

A further object is to provide a box for crooked cigars wherein the two side walls of the box are given an irregular shape conforming to the shape of the cigars themselves.

These and other objects will appear more fully upon a consideration of the detailed description of the various embodiments of the invention which follows. Although several different specific forms of box have been described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, it is to be expressly understood that this drawing is for the purpose of illustration only and is not to be construed as defining the scope of the invention, reference being had for this latter purpose to the appended claims.

Referring now to the drawing, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one form of box embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2' is a section taken on a horizontal plane through the body of the box of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section similar to Fig. 2 of another embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one end of still another form of box constructed in accordance with the invention.

The box shown in Figs. 1 and 2, which is of I the straight lid type, is especially constructed to accommodate cigars or similar articles the shape 5 of the axes of which may be defined generally as a double reverse curve with straight, parallel, but laterally displaced, end portionsmore specifically, a shape corresponding to either of the curved lines of Fig. 2. Such a box comprises a flat, rectangular top or lid 5, a bottom 6 of the same shape and size as the lid 5, fiat, rectangular front and rear walls I and 8, respectively, also of the same shape and size as one another, and two end or side walls 9 and I0, respectively, which are rectangular in elevation but of irregular shape in plan. These elements may, of course, be made of any suitable material such as wood, laminated or pressed paper, plastic or the like. 20

As shown best in Fig. 2, the outer vertical surface of each of side walls 9 and I0 is flat and perpendicular to front and rear walls 1 and 8 so as to provide an entirely smooth, rectangular outer surface for the box. The inner vertical surfaces of said side walls, however, are curved or waved in the manner indicated in the drawing so as to conform to the shape of the cigars which the box is intended to contain. Considering side wall 9 (side wall Hi being an exact duplicate of side wall 9 simply turned 180 in a horizontal plane) it will be noted that the two end portions l l and I2 of the inner surface thereof (corresponding to the butt and burning ends of the cigar) are flat and parallel to one another but not coplanar, the portion I2 being spaced further from the outside surface of the side wall than the portion H, thereby making the wall thicker at one extremity than at the other. In the intermediate portion between end portions H and i2 the inner surface of side wall 9 follows substantially a pair of reverse curves l3 and I4 which merge at a point indicated approximately at [5.

Since the inner surface of side wall 10 is parallel throughout its extent to that of side wall 9, it is 45 apparent that the two walls may be simultaneously formed out of a single rectangular block of material by simply cutting through the same along a line corresponding to the shape which it is de- 50 sired to impart to the inner surfaces of these pieces. By the same token, it will be noted that the two side walls are interchangeable with one another by mere inversion, a construction which tends toward economy in manufacture should it 55 be desired to make the side walls in the form of molding.

Although the box may be assembled in any desired manner, the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is preferable from the standpoint of simplicity, strength and rigidity. As there shown, two different forms of joint are used at the four vertical corners of the box, diagonally opposite corners being similarly formed. At the corners where front and rear walls 7 and 8 are connected to the thinner end portions of side walls 9 and I0, simple butt joints are used as indicated at I6, the nails IT or other securing means being driven from the outside surfaces of side walls 9 and I into the edges of front and rear walls 1 and 8. At the other two corners of the box Where the front and rear walls meet the thicker portions 'of the side walls 9 and Ill, the latter are rabbeted as indicated at l8 so as to receive the ends of the front and rear walls, the nails IT again being drivenfrom the outside of the end pieces into the edges of the front and rear walls. These rabbets are preferably of such depth as to leave the end portions IQ of the side Walls of the same thickness as the opposite extremities of said walls. The rabbeted joints thus made increase the rigidity of the box, particularly against any tendency to move out of rectangularity before the bottom is secured to the front, rear and side walls.

The box is completed by securing the bottom 6 to the bottom edges of the front and rear walls I and 8 and side walls 9 and ID in any desired manner, and by hinging the lid to the rear wall 8 by any suitable form of hinge 20. This hinge may be made of either muslin, paper or metal, it-may be either an inside or an outside hinge, and it may be secured to the lid and rear wall by an adhesive or by any other desired means. After assembly, the box may be lined and its edges covered with paper or other suitable material in a manner well known to the art.

Referring now to Fig. 3, the box of which a section is shown therein differs from the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2 only in the shape given to the inner surfaces of side walls 2| and 22 and in the manner in which the joints are made at the vertical corners of the box. As shown, the inner surface of each of the side walls is provided with a relatively short flat portion 23 at one extremity thereof, a single reversely curved intermediate portion 24, and a relatively longer fiat portion 25 adjacent the other extremity. The cigars adapted for packaging in this form of box would have a relatively short straight butt portion corresponding to portion 23 of the side wall surface, a single crook in the intermediate portion, and a longer straight portion on the burning end of the cigar corresponding to portion 25. All of the joints of the box shown in Fig. 3 are simple butt joints, the front and rear walls I and 8 overlapping the end edges of side walls 2| and 22 and being secured thereto by nails 25 which lie at right angles to the nails ll of the box of Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 demonstrates the application of the present invention to a cigar box of the drop lid type wherein the top of the box when closed is flush with the upper edges of the side walls. As shown, the construction of Fig. 4 is substantially the same as that of Figs, 1 and 2 with the exception that each of side Walls 9 and ID (the latter not being shown in the drawing) is provided with an upwardly extending edge portion 21 of substantially the same height as the thickness of lid 5 and of the same lateral thickness as the thinner extremity of the associated side wall in the area corresponding to plane portion ll of the inner surface thereof. It will be noted that in this embodiment of the invention, the upper horizontal surfaces of the thicker portions of the side walls provide a substantial support for the cover or lid 5 when the latter is in closed position.

There is thus provided by the present invention a box of new and unusual construction which is particularly well adapted for the packaging of cigars of irregular or crooked shapes for which there is no satisfactory container on the market today. This box is so constructed that the side walls thereof have a configuration corresponding to that of the cigars to be packed therein, thus enabling the packing of cigars of this type in such a way that there can be no movement thereof within the box during shipment or handling and that an attractive appearance is presented when the box is opened for display. With this construction there are no unfilled spaces between the ends of the box and the adjacent cigars and no necessity exists for using fillers at the ends or other means for anchoring the crooks against movement. Being of complementary shape, the two side walls of the box may be economically formed without waste of material and may be used interchangeably with one another. Inasmuch as one extremity of each of the side walls of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is substantially thicker than the ordinary cigar box wall, it is possible to use a rabbeted joint at two of the diagonally opposite edges of the box and thereby strengthen and rigidify the same. The invention is equally applicable to either straight or drop lid boxes, and when embodied in the latter type provides a more solid support for the lid than is attainable in the conventional drop lid box.

Although several specific forms of box have been shown and described, it will be obvious that the invention is not limited to the particular constructions disclosed but is capable of a variety of mechanical embodiments. For example, the inner surfaces of the side walls of the box may be given various configurations to conform to the particular shape of any irregularly formed cigar which it is desired to package. Likewise, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to cigar boxes in which the elements are assembled and connected to one another in the specific manners indicated, but that they may be constructed with other forms of joints and other means for connecting the various pieces to one another. Various other changes, which will now suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, may be made in the form, details of construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention. Reference is therefore to be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A box for irregularly curved or crookedly shaped cigars or the like, comprising fiat rectangular front and rear walls parallel to one ans other, a pair of side walls secured to said front and rear walls and having flat outside surfaces perpendicular to the outside surfaces of said front faces of said side walls being parallel to one another throughout their extent but curved to conform to the shape of the cigars to be packaged in saidbox.

2. A box for irregularly curved or crookedly shaped cigars or the like, comprising flat rectangular front and rear walls parallel to one another, a pair of side walls secured to said front and rear walls and having fiat outside surfaces perpendicular to the outside surfaces of said front and rear walls, a bottom secured to said walls, and a lid hinged to said rear wall, the inner surface of each of said side walls having substantially fiat end portions and an intermediate portion which is curved to conform to the shape of the cigars to be packaged in said box.

3. A box for irregularly curved or crookedly shaped cigars or the like, comprising fiat rectangular front and rear walls parallel to one another, a pair of side walls secured to said front and rear walls, a bottom secured to said walls, and a lid hinged to said rear wall, each of said side walls having an outer surface which is flat and perpendicular to the outer surfaces of said front and rear walls and an inner surface which is reversely curved.

4. A box for irregularly curved or crookedly shaped cigars or the like, comprising fiat rectangular front and rear walls parallel to one an other, a pair of side walls secured to said front and rear walls and having flat outside surfaces perpendicular to the outside surfaces of said front and rear walls, a bottom secured to said walls, and a lid hinged to said rear wall, each of said side walls having substantially flat end portions one of which is thicker than the other and an intermediate portion the inner surface of which is curved.

5. A box for irregularly curved or crookedly shaped cigars or the like, comprising flat rectangular front and rear walls parallel to one another, a pair of side walls secured to said front and rear walls and having flat outside surfaces perpendicular to the outside surfaces of said front and rear walls, a bottom secured to said walls, and a lid hinged to said rear wall, each of said side walls having substantially fiat end portions one of which is thicker than the other and an intermediate portion the inner surface of which is curved, the thicker ends of said side walls being rabbeted to receive the adjacent ends of the front and rear walls.

6. In a box for irregularly curved or crookedly shaped cigars or the like, a side wall for the box having a fiat rectangular outer surface and an inner surface rectangular in elevation but including a reverse curvature when viewed in plan.

7. In a box for irregularly curved or crookedly shaped cigars or the like, a side wall for the box having a fiat rectangular outer surface and an inner surface fiat at its extremities but curved therebetween.

8. In a box for irregularly curved or crookedly shaped cigars or the like, a side wall for the box having a fiat rectangular outer surface and an inner surface having extremities which are flat and parallel to one another and a. reversely curved portion therebetween, one of the ends of said side wall being thicker than the other.

CLAIR. S. KAUF'EMAN. 

